My invention relates to an apparatus for treating slaughtered poultry which is moved on a conveyor track, hanging by its legs, comprising a plucking device with a plurality of discs, arranged on either side of the path of the poultry, to be driven in rotation and provided with plucking fingers directed towards the path of the poultry.
In the present way of processing poultry, this poultry is, prior to the plucking by means of a plucking machine, passed through a water bath of which the temperature is maintained at a definite value (48.degree.-50.degree. of 58.degree.-60.degree.C). By this treatment (the so-called scalding) is achieved that the subsequent plucking can be performed easier and faster so that the production capacity of a processing line can be increased.
The birds are during the scalding entirely immersed, resulting into a considerable pollution of the used water. The water bath must be renewed frequently, while the discharged water, which contains among other things many bacteria, is a source of environment pollution. Moreover this known treatment requires much energy owing to the necessity of continuously heating large quantities of fresh water.